Tacoma's Point Defiance Park (Images of America)

For more than a century, the citizens of Tacoma have valued Point Defiance Park as a forested refuge and an urban oasis. The community treasures its history and ecology as the crown jewel of the citys public spaces. Ancient forest continues to cover the majority of the parks 700-plus acres. Attractions of the pasta saltwater swimming pool, riding stables, and an amusement parkdelighted earlier generations, though they are now long gone. The first boathouses, early zoological collections, and gardens near the parks entrance date back to the 1890s and now greet visitors in modern form. Todays park amenities are designed to foster appreciation for the rich historic and environmental heritage of Tacomas Great Pride and serve an estimated two million visitors annually. Historic images from both private and public collections highlight this memorable walk in the park through a beloved civic preserve.